Can Japan Trust Its Government?

After the continued stream of platitudes and "there is no danger" coming from the Japanese government, I have to wonder if its citizens will ever trust it again.

A few days ago, the official spokesperson said the situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex was serious, but controllable.  They also noted that three of the six reactors were already shut down prior to the quake and tsunami.  Well, not so much.

After the first explosion, the situation was declared more serious, but still official voices urged calm and assured everyone that steps were being taken to prevent further damage, besides it was a hydrogen explosion outside the containment vessel, so not as disastrous as it could have been. 

After the second explosion, the evacuation zone was widened, but the situation was being monitored.  That's when they began using sea water in the cooling effort.  That means the plant will never be used again since sea water corrodes things pretty fast.

After the third explosion, the one that is most mysterious, now the government is serious.  They have asked people living closer than 19 miles to the plant to stay indoors. One report also showed government officials preparing to distribute iodine tablets, used to minimize radiation sickness.

Now there is a fire in one of the reactors that was supposedly shut down.  What next?

CBC News Reports:

Yukio Edano, chief cabinet secretary, warned that the fire had helped release more radiation.
"Now we are talking about levels that can damage human health. These are readings taken near the area where we believe the releases are happening. Far away, the levels should be lower," he said.

"Please do not go outside. Please stay indoors. Please close windows and make your homes airtight. Don't turn on ventilators. Please hang your laundry indoors."

"These are figures that potentially affect health, there is no mistake about that," he said.

 This continued stream of half truth and parsed words may lead the Japanese people to begin mistrusting their government.  That would be a cultural shift for Japan and something that might make recovering from the effects of this disaster more difficult than expected.

By trying to retain calm by not giving the extent of the governments knowledge they have undermined confidence.  If the officials didn't know how bad it was, they should have said that.  The Japanese people are intelligent and value truth and candor.  They have behaved exemplary in the face of the worst natural disaster ever faced by their country.  Now it's time for the government to do the same.

Tsunami Video - Heartbreaking

Watching this 7 minutes of home video, it's hard not to cry as a whole town is inundated. The power of the internet!

Take 2 Bexar and Call Me In the Morning

Bexar County in Texas has an interesting figure as Chair of the Democratic Party.  Dan Ramos, the bearded curmudgeon who holds this post sounds much more like a right-wing wacko than a Democratic Spokesperson.

His recent statements in the San Antonio Current may give a clue to who he is.  Speaking about the Stonewall Democrats ( LGBT Democrat Organization) he says:

“I liken them to the Tea Party — the Tea Party and the fucking Nazi Party — because they’re 90 percent white, blue-eyed, and Anglo, and I don’t give a fuck who knows that. Just like the blacks … they’re American, but you can’t get your way just because you’re black.”

How statesman-like!

Ramos shows his true colors as a bigot of the highest order, and proves that you don't have to be white to be prejudiced.  I suspect that Ramos is under a lot of stress as well, considering the former treasurer of the Bexar County Democrats is being prosecuted for embezzlement of $200,000 from the party coffers. 

Ramos, in my opinion represents the dichotomy that is Texas.  Urban centers in Texas tend to be more liberal and rural areas more conservative.  Bexar county is both and perhaps this is why such a polarizing figure as Ramos heads the Democratic Party there. 

Ramos is a problem for Democrats and specifically Bexar, and my guess is he will not be head and headache of that organization for much longer. 

Yet Another Explosion At Japanese Nuclear Power Plant

This is pretty startling video.  Amazing how much power hydrogen has when ignited in a confined space.  Officials continue to play down the "China Syndrome" scenario for these plants, but as a third plant has developed similar problems, I am not putting much stock in the official statements.

Republican Lawmaker Calls Republican Backed Bill, "The crazy, give-a-handgun-to-a-schizophrenic bill." Video.

This is directly from Think Progress, and though I rarely cut and paste entire chunks, it's too good to miss.

In a “snafu” on the House floor yesterday, House Speaker Pro Tem Jeff Kaugmann (R) was caught privately acknowledging the danger of the bill while speaking near a microphone he thought was off, but was in fact turned on:

REP. STEVE LUKAN (R): The Alaska bill – what’s the Alaska bill? [...]
KAUFMAN: The crazy, give-a-handgun-to-a-schizophrenic bill.
AIDE OFF CAMERA: His microphone is on.
[Microphone goes dead]

Meltdown A Real Possibility In Japan

The earlier post about the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan having problems was an understatement.  The cooling system powered by batteries is not keeping up with the heat produced by the core of the reactor.

This story in the Los Angeles Times gives more insight including the following:

The six reactors at the site use some of the oldest nuclear technology, dating back to the 1960s.

The reactor uses a single cooling loop and does not have a containment dome, but rather uses a smaller containment vessel around the reactor core.

"These first-generation boiling water reactors have the least margin of safety of any reactor design," said Frank N. von Hippel, a Princeton University physicist and former White House advisor.

Without electrical power to circulate water inside the core, the cooling water would begin to boil off, he said. But operators still should be able to add new cooling water and keep the core fully immersed while it cools down.

"It doesn't sound like we are in meltdown mode," he said.

Nuclear Meltdown Possible In Japan

One of the damaged nuclear plants in Japan is unable to pump coolant. This is causing the temperature of the core to rise steadily and is causing some alarm.

From the Daily Planet Dispatch:

People living within three kilometers of the power plant have been evacuated as the engineers struggle to control the cooling of the reactor core. The nuclear plant automatically shuts down as the first line of defense in these kind of circumstances, but the failure of the water coolant flow to the core is supposed to be the second line of defense, and this appears to have failed, causing international concern of a vast scale nuclear accident.

Japan has long been sighted as a model of safe nuclear power, building their plants to withstand earthquakes, but apparently this one was bigger than expected and no one is sure what will happen.  A meltdown if it burns through the containment building, which is likely in that event, could reach the water-table and cause steam explosions.  These would send radioactive particles into the atmosphere and into the jet stream...which flows from Japan to North America.  Welcome to the global village!

Tsunami Video From Kamaishi - Amazing

I have only been able to see spotty coverage of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but this video from Kamaishi looks more like a Japanese horror film than reality. Unfortunately, it is all too real. Reports are still coming in of casualties, but I expect this will be an epic tragedy for Japan.



Sendai City

John Cryer Responds to Charlie Sheen

Draconian Nebraska Abortion Law Forces Woman To Watch her Baby Die.

Say what? Yup that's just what happened to Danielle Deaver whose baby ran into complication at 23 weeks of her pregnancy. Her water broke early and, without amniotic fluid, the fetus would not develop lungs to survive outside the womb. She and her husban decided to ask the doctor to terminate the pregnancy to avoid the fetus and the mother suffering any more trauma.

Not in Nebraska. It is now a law that terminating a pregnancy after 20 weeks is a crime. The doctor could do nothing but tell her to wait. She did and when the baby was born it gasped for breath and died with under developed lungs.

Pretty frigging cruel if you ask me, but I guess if you are a holier than thou abortion foe you don't give a damn about suffering, just your self-righteousness.

Thanks "right to Life" idiots.

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Drag Queen

I use the term Drag Queen because these girls are definitely dressed for a show not the street with the sequined cocktail dress and over the top wigs. The whole cat fight was caught on tape.  Apparently one of the group insulted the appearance of another and the rumble began.

The news report uses the term transvestite, but that sounds so clinical.  Those who wish to flame me may begin now.

 

Kinko's for Kidneys - Organic 3-D Organ Printing?

OK, it's really FedEx Office for Kindeys, but that doesn't sound as catchy.

This one falls somewhere between reality and sci-fi.  A company called NovoGen has created a 3-D printer which uses organic material to create copies of organs.  Right now they are printing blood vessels using cells from the recipients body to create the organs. 

If this actually works out it could change the face of organ transplants forever. For now I am skeptical but hopeful.

Tyler Clementi Scholorship for LGBT Youth Announced

The college student who committed suicide after his tryst with another man was broadcast by cyber-bullies will be remembered long after those idiots are forgotten.  Tyler Clementi now has a scholarship named in memory of him.

The Point Foundation a national  LGBT student organization, announced yesterday it is honoring Clementi's memory through the scholarship. Their aim is to further efforts to end the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

In an interview in CentralJersey.com Tyler's parents are quoted:

"Our son Tyler was a kind and gentle young man who enjoyed helping people,'' Joe and Jane Clementi said in a statement issued in a release by the organization. "This scholarship will help college students, and it will raise awareness of young people who are subject to abuse through malicious bullying -- and so it will help people in Tyler's memory. We are happy to be supportive of Point Foundation, and we thank them for establishing this scholarship.''

Newt Cheated On Wife On Patrictic Grounds - Best Lie Ever!

In an amazing demonstration of over the top rationalization Newt Gingrich actually says he cheated on his wife because of his patriotic zeal.  I am sure she forgave him after that explanation.

AC 360 - Diagnoses Charlie Sheen - Mentally Ill? Duh! Losing!

Kansas Moves Backwards In Time - Refuses To Repeal Sodomy Laws

Like one of those mysterious tachyon particles, the state of Kansas has started moving backwards in time. According to Equality Kansas:

State Representatives Jan Pauls (D, Hutchinson), and Lance Kinzer (R, Olathe) said yesterday that being gay or lesbian should remain a crime in Kansas. Pauls made, with Kinzer’s support, the successful motion in the Kansas Legislature’s Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee to keep the criminalization of gay and lesbian relationships on the books. Their action removed key language from HB2321, proposed by the Kansas Judicial Council, which would have resolved inconsistencies in Kansas criminal code, as well as remove unconstitutional laws.

Nice to know that there is at least one state where I can still be a criminal just for who I love.  Ironic that Dorthy Gale, patron saint of gay men, was from this backwards moving place.

Ex Gay - There's An App For That

Exodus International, the discredited and highly controversial ex-gay organization has released an iPhone app so you can get podcasts and a calendar of ex-gay meetings and other such tripe delivered directly to your pocket.  I would love to see how many Exodus folks have Grindr on their iPhones as well.

21 Priests Removed From Philadelphia Archdiocese - More Pedophile Priests!

If this were about any organization other than a church, people would have long ago shut the place down.  It is amazing how prevalent the problem is in the Catholic Church.  The latest news is the suspension of 21 priests in Philadelphia for suspected child molestation.

If I were the Pope, I would be doing some serious thinking about the organization and exactly what it is that attracts these predators to it. 

According to Huffington Post:

The two-year grand jury investigation into priest abuse in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia resulted in charges against two priests, a former priest and a Catholic school teacher who are accused of raping young boys. And in an unprecedented move in the U.S., a former high-ranking church official was accused of transferring problem priests to new parishes without warning anyone of prior sex-abuse complaints.

Fixation With The Anus - Colorado Grandma Testifies Before Senate

The level of ignorance spewed by this old biddy is amazing. Rosina Kovar testifying at a Colorado Senate committee hearing on civil unions legislation, filmed March 7, 2011. The footage has been edited, but the words are hers!

Charlie Sheen Music Video

Ok, I promise this will be my last Charlie Sheen post, but damn he is such a mess I just can't turn away!

Enjoy!

Charlie Sheen - Winning? Nope, Fired!

Warner Brothers announced today that they are officially terminating the train wreck that is Charlie Sheen.  CBS Television had no comment.

Considering "Two and a Half Men" is the #1 rated show on CBS, this decision was not taken lightly.  My regret is for the other actors and crew.  I hope CBS and Chuck Lorre can come up with a plausible plot line and keep the show going.  Though, without the morally bankrupt Sheen, it just won't be the same.

Donald Trump - A Chump! "No Civil Rights for Gays"

The Donald in what may be his greatest act of hubris yet is considering running for President.  In that vein, he has made a sharp right turn to appeal to the basest of the base.  He makes his opposit8ion to same-sex marriage in a recent interview with the Des Moines Register when he was quoted as saying, "they should not be able to marry."  He went on to say he hasn't developed a "fully formed" opinion on extending medical and civil benefits to gay couples, but he added: "As of this moment, I would say no and no."

So The Donald has spoken. Now I wonder what his hair/toupee dresser has to say?  It's time for this rich asshat to be out of the public eye.  His 15 minutes of fame were up years ago and had it not been for a tawdry "reality" TV show he would be off the stage.  It's time to ring down the curtain on him and let him play with his billions in private.  I suggest stop watching any chow with Donald Trump in it, and letting the networks know why you are turning to another channel.

Charlie Sheen Unplugged

The slow motion train wreck that is Charlie Sheen got even worse.  Saturday night he hosted a "webcast" of what he called Sheen's Korner.  As one commenter put it perhaps it should be called Sheen's Coroner.

Sheen rambled without making any sense for an hour and showed off his new tattoo.  Across his left wrist is the word, "Winning".  If his life is winning, I would hate to see what losing is.

Sheen and his cast of misfits, who I can only assume are paid staff and "buddies" who have attached themselves to him made fart sounds, laughed at non-jokes and generally looked like a room full of people who would much rather be boozing it up than talking on the internet. 

As Craig Ferguson noted, in England there used to be a mental asylum called Bedlam where for a penny you could peep through holes at the insane people inside.  Well Charlie Sheen is giving it away for free.

It's a sad journey he is on and he has decided to let the whole world watch as he self-destructs.  Having been around a whole lot more addicts and drunks that I would have ever imagined, I can tell you he is in a manic "dry-drunk" phase if he has indeed stopped drinking. The anger, megalomania and blather coming from him is a dead give away.  He is in trouble and I sincerely hope he can get help before it's too late.

Glenn Beck, Obsession With Fists?

Glenn Beck discovers Fisting!

Shhhh! Rupert Murdoch May Be Listening!

Seems the folks at News Corp have been busy, busy tapping into mobile phones of important people, in the UK at least.

According to the Guardian:

Scotland Yard announced a fresh inquiry into allegations of widespread phone hacking at the Murdoch-owned News of the World in January. The Met also told Prescott there was evidence his phone may have been targeted by Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator who was employed by the paper.

More information is starting to come out.  I imagine that should these allegations prove true, the FBI will start making a few inquiries of it's own.  I cannot believe that only the UK branch of the Murdoch disinformation giant was alone.  Could FOX news be far behind?

Remembering Jane Russell

In all the craziness I forgot to post this in memory of Jane Russell one of my favorite performers of the 1950's.  This number is about as homoerotic as it can be, but I suspect that was lost on the audience of the day.  Enjoy!

Anti-Gay Preacher Arrested for Obscenity Near School Yard

Talk about your Southern Decadence!  Seems like one of the most vocal critics of New Orleans annual gay summer party has gotten caught with his pants down, literally!

The Rev. Grant Storms was arrested for obscenity after witnesses told police they saw him touching himself while watching children on the playground at Lafreniere Park in Metairie.  

Storm and his minions show up with bullhorns at Southern Decadence every year and harangue visitors with shouts of "perversion and sinners".  Personally, I never considered gay sex a perversion, but jerking off to kids on a playground?  Aw heck that's just plain creepy!

Charlie Sheen on the Today Show - Wow! No Wonder CBS is Not Happy.

I rarely give a crap about celebrities and their personal lives, but when they go way off the deep end it's kind of sad.  Charlie Sheen, who I think is a great actor in the CBS show, "Two and a Half Men" apparently isn't acting.  From this interview on NBC it seems that the man is every bit as wacked out as his character on the sitcom.  Worse, he is obviously not real stable, so no wonder CBS is canning the show for now, and I suspect for good.

Watch the slow motion train wreck and just try to turn away!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Libya Teeters on the Verge, Gadhafi Moved to Desperate Measures

This video from Anderson Cooper 360 last night is very good.  One of the most telling comments by the woman reporting is that Libyans are disappointed that Obama hasn't been more strident against Gadhafi.

Comet Fly-by Audio and Video - Amazing!

Last week NASA held a press conference about the Stardust NExT mission to comet Temple1.  The video and audio of the fly-by is awesome. When you consider how many miles the mission fly and how close to the comet it got, it's amazing. Kudos to the team at NASA for a great mission and wonderful images.

Obama DOJ Won't Defend DOMA!

Just moments ago the Obama Administration announced it believes that Section 3 of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages — is unconstitutional. This means the Department of Justice will no longer mount defenses of this bill.

More on Think Progress.

Amazing Video from Chinese World's Fair Closing Ceremonies

The following link shows the closing ceremonies at the Shanghai World's Expo in China.  Really nice pageantry and some pretty slick magic tricks as well.  Enjoy!

Wikileaks Confirms African Dictator Threatened Gays with Decapitation

Ah, what fun it must be to live in Africa!  I say that with a giant dose of irony.

Recently the Wikileaks cache of diplomatic cables have exposed Gambian President Jammeh as saying he would "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in his country.  Though the President now says that was a rhetorical statement, he also confirmed the country's rigid anti-gay stance.

And remember this is the same dictatorial president who claims he has a cure for AIDS.  It involves bananas and herbs and  there are videos of him applying it to "cure" AIDS patients. 

At the risk of being insensitive, this is where the stereotypes of African's being "savages" comes from. Maybe it's time the Facebook revolution reached Gambia as well?

Westboro vs Hackers - A Hoax

OK, I was taken in by it as well.  Looks like there will be no battle of the internet nerds after all.  According to an anonymous press release about Anonymous the whole thing was a WBC fake.  Who knows?  With all the anonymity going around how can you tell?  Here is thelatest release fromthe Hackers:

Dear Phred Phelps and WBC Phriends,
So we've been hearing a lot about some letter that we supposedly sent you this morning. Problem is, we're a bit groggy and don't remember sending it. Our best guess is that you heard about us on that newfangled TV of yours and thought we might be some good money for your little church. You thought you could play with Anonymous. You observed our rising notoriety and thought you would exploit our paradigm for your own gain. And then, you thought you could lure some idiots into a honeypot for more IPs to sue.

This is not so foreign to us; as you may have heard, we trade in Lulz. You just do not have enough to offer right now.

While Anonymous thanks you for your interest, and would certainly like to take a break and have some fun with you guys, we have more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.
But, we will keep this application on file, and will certainly contact you if any openings become
available in future.
Next time, don't call us. We'll call you.
Additionally, as your "Press Release" failed to understand: When Anonymous says we support free speech, we mean it. We count Beatrice Hall among our Anonymous forebears: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Do some among our number hate you and your cynical exploitation of your human rights for monetary gain? Of course. But the MoralFags are also the first to admit that they are, in fact, your rights to exploit.

In closing, let us assure you: We are not BAWWWING sissies, nor are we afraid of your false god; we're just really busy. Stay tuned, and we'll come back to play another day.
We promise.

To the Media: Just because it was posted on AnonNews doesn't mean every single Anon is in
agreement, in fact in this case it doesn't even mean a single Anon is in agreement. Next time, if you could give us a few minutes to put all our paperwork in order, we'll be sure to let you know what we're up to. (LOL)

To Anonymous: It's a trap. They've got their ports wide open to harvest IPs to sue. Don't DDoS, and boycott Operation Westboro. If you really want to continue messing with them, just send them a few male prostitutes and faxes of goatse. Nothing more.

(Note: This letter was written by more than 20 Anons, at the same time, and none of them were inbred family members. Unlike that other, shitty "Press Release".)

We are Anonymous.
We are legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.

Hackers and Westboro Baptist Church Square Off!

The Westboro Baptist Church, better known as the Fred Phelps family cult, never fails to raise ire in anyone who has even a cursory understanding of Jesus message of love, inclusion and compassion.  Fortunately, most of the folks I know whose blood pressure automatically rises when they see the utter crap these sad folks spew have learned to ignore them.  The Phelps cult thrives on publicity and deprived of it, they look exactly like what they really are, as sad little group of disturbed hate-filled people.

My friends and myself, though we have encountered the WBC folks on several occasions, now give them a wide berth.  Their whole trick seems to be to aggravate people to the point of assault and then sue for damages.  To seriously consider them in any way representing God's message makes me glad it is not a God that I believe in.

Meanwhile, their hateful web site has been hacked by a group calling itself "Anonymous".  It may or may not be the same group that disabled Hosni Mubarak's websites during the Egyptian revolt as they claim, but now they have chosen the Phelps cult as their latest target.  They temporarily disabled the WBC website and issued a letter which follows:

TO THE CONGREGANTS OF WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH:

    We, the collective super-consciousness known as ANONYMOUS - the Voice of Free Speech & the Advocate of the People - have long heard you issue your venomous statements of hatred, and we have witnessed your flagrant and absurd displays of inimitable bigotry and intolerant fanaticism. We have always regarded you and your ilk as an assembly of graceless sociopaths and maniacal chauvinists & religious zealots, however benign, who act out for the sake of attention & in the name of religion.
    Being such aggressive proponents for the Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Information as we are, we have hitherto allowed you to continue preaching your benighted gospel of hatred and your theatrical exhibitions of, not only your fascist views, but your utter lack of Christ-like attributes. You have condemned the men and women who serve, fight, and perish in the armed forces of your nation; you have prayed for and celebrated the deaths of young children, who are without fault; you have stood outside the United States National Holocaust Museum, condemning the men, women, and children who, despite their innocence, were annihilated by a tyrannical embodiment of fascism and unsubstantiated repugnance. Rather than allowing the deceased some degree of peace and respect, you instead choose to torment, harass, and assault those who grieve.
    Your demonstrations and your unrelenting cascade of disparaging slurs, unfounded judgments, and prejudicial innuendos, which apparently apply to every individual numbered amongst the race of Man - except for yourselves - has frequently crossed the line which separates Freedom of Speech from deliberately utilizing the same tactics and methods of intimidation and mental & emotional abuse that have been previously exploited and employed by tyrants and dictators, fascists and terrorist organizations throughout history.

    ANONYMOUS cannot abide this behavior any longer. The time for us to be idle spectators in your inhumane treatment of fellow Man has reached its apex, and we shall now be moved to action. Thus, we give you a warning: Cease & desist your protest campaign in the year 2011, return to your homes in Kansas, & close your public Web sites.
    Should you ignore this warning, you will meet with the vicious retaliatory arm of ANONYMOUS: We will target your public Websites, and the propaganda & detestable doctrine that you promote will be eradicated; the damage incurred will be irreversible, and neither your institution nor your congregation will ever be able to fully recover. It is in your best interest to comply now, while the option to do so is still being offered, because we will not relent until you cease the conduction & promotion of all your bigoted operations & doctrines.

    The warning has been given. What happens from here shall be determined by you.

 Well as I expected, Westboro Baptist Church will not be denied the added publicity this gives them.  Their response begins:

"Open Letter from Westboro Baptist Servants of God to Anonymous Coward Crybaby 'Hackers'             BRING IT!"

 So to those who follow this stuff, it should be interesting as the folks living in their mom's basement square off against the trailer park wackos with the storefront church.  Stay tuned.

Me, I am not taking sides, but if WBC disappeared from the web, it wouldn't upset me at all.

20% of People Don't Know Bareback Sex Can Spread HIV

All the work we did trying to educate gay and bisexual men about safer sex seems to have been for nothing, and that pisses me off.  I read a recent poll in the UK where one in five people did not k ow AIDS/HIV could be transmitted through bareback sex.  Though I haven't seen the figures here, I would hazard to guess it's even higher.

Furthermore only one in 10 adults could identify all the ways AIDS could be transmitted.  That's just sad.

AIDS could have been eradicated in a generation if people listened to the Safer-Sex message, but I guess human beings are just too damned stupid, or perhaps it's because the frigging fundamentalists don't want accurate information about condoms out there, and so the real message gets muddled in a fog of misinformation.

Either way, it's disturbing.

Leaked Memos Show US Awareness of Growing Uganda Homophobia

The march toward violence against LGBT people in Uganda is documented in leaked cables on Wikileaks.  The US Embassy in Uganda noted the worsening climate for human rights.  Memos show that embassy staff noted anti-gay hatred being used to scapegoat homosexuals for the country's "socio-political failings".

This anger eventually ended in the death of David Kato, a gay rights activist in Uganda.  Still the US government funnels $500 million in foreign aid to Uganda.  Why?  Ask your Congressperson that question!

CPAC Invited GOProud Back - If They Don't Advocate Gay Rights Issues

Now, if you ever wondered just how deep the amount of self-loathing the GOProud folks have, you will soon know.  Seems CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) who uninvited the allegedly LGBT Republican group has now changed their position.  Now they will welcome the GOPround folks if they will leave their "gay issues" at the door.

To quote CPAC Chairman Al Cardenas:

"It's got nothing to do with your orientation. It's got to do with the principles that you advocate. There are a number of gays in America who don't advocate gays in the military issue or gay marriage. And so they'll fit within the tent of what we stand for...It's not that easy. It's complicated. But we'll do our best to be inclusive while at the same time adhering to the principles that Ronald Reagan dreamed about and we've been following."

 So it basically comes down to the whole "straight acting" thing. Sure you can be gay or lesbian or whatever, as long as you stay quiet and don't actually ask for equal rights.  Imagine asking a black Republican to forgo any mention of Civil Rights or minority issues?  Oh yes, that would be Michael Steel or Alan Keys!

If GOProud accepts the re-invitation, I vote we take away their "gay cards".

Ouch! Australian Co-Anchor Belittles Co-Host

Sometimes a line is just too good to let go. Enjoy!

Priscilla Queen of the Desert Coming to Broadway

Preview clip posted on YouTube.  I am ordering tickets for next fall now! Thanks to Towleroad for finding this

Glenn Beck Conspiracy Theory Generator - Almost Like The Real Thing!

Ever vigilant, Joe My God found this great gadget which generates Glenn Beck style blackboards full of nutty ideas.  I wondered where Glenn got that crap?

No GOProud at Next Year's CPAC

There is a surprise! Not really.

GOProud, the allegedly gay Republican organization whose involvement with the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) conference stirred up so much anger among the right-wing they are politely being asked to not come back.  GOProud's presence atthe conference was enough to make a few very large participants stay away.  Those include, Heritage Foundation, Concerned Women for America, Media Research Center and the hate group, Family Research Council.

Apparently the CPAC cannot afford to alienate these major players in their activities, so the gays get thrown under the Republican bus.  Again, I have to wonder why the hell a group who is plainly not welcome and whose very existence goes against some of the GOP platform planks calls itself Republican?  The degree of self-loathing of the GOProud folks is apparently limitless.  For example, GOProud volunteer Matt Hissey is quoted as saying, "I don't really like gay people."  Nice!

Lady Gaga at Grammys - Fabulous!

OK I officially renewed my Gay Card.  Lady Gaga at the Grammy's was amazing!

An New Day In Egypt

Hosni Mubarak finally has stepped down ad president of Egypt.  His 30 year dictatorial rule is over and I suspect we will never know all the details, but here is my hypothesis.

Yesterday, the military published a statement called "Communique #1" in which the stated that the protesters demands would be met.  This caused a wave of jubilation to flow through the millions gathered in public spaces in Cairo and Alexandria. The crowds cheered when they heard Mubarak would be making a TV appearance that evening, and everyone, including foreign diplomats and news-people assumed it would be his resignation speech.

The crowds fell silent as Mubarak began his speech, but that didn't last for long.  He began enumerating all the good things he did for his "children" and continued to assert that he would follow his own timeline and wait until September for the new elections.  Meanwhile he would turn some powers over to his Vice President. 

When it became clear that he was not stepping down, the crowd erupted in violent angry shouts.  They waved shoes in the air and tore down the TV screens in a hostile rage.  Luckily, they did not choose to march on the Presidential palace but dispersed, vowing to reassemble in the morning even stronger.

This morning news came that the military would stand behind the transition as planned and most people saw that as an ominous sign.  Finally came the surprising announcement that Mubarak had turned power to the military council and was leaving office along with his Vice President.

My suspicion is that the military council met with the president and explained the reality of the situation.  They had what I would call a "Come to Allah" meeting.  This new Egyptian military has been trained mostly by US forces, and unlike the old military who learned from the Russians, the new Egyptian army didn't want any part of harming their countrymen.  I suspect they told Mubarak he could leave peacefully and immediately, or be placed under arrest.

He chose to leave and the whole story of Egypt has now been set on a new path.  My hope is it will find a way toward democracy and peace.

Very Funny Commercial - Banned From TV

So I will admit I have done some pretty strange things in my life but never this odd.

Mubarak Is A Fool! Refuses To Step Down.

Crowds of hundreds of thousands gathered to hear the President of Egypt as he resigned, instead he spoke about his sacrifices for Egypt and hoe much he loved the people.  What he didn't say was that he is leaving.  He reiterated his intention to not run for reelection in September.  This is not what people expected and wanted.

A crowd who was joyous has turned into an angry mob.  In Alexandria protesters are heading toward the military base, in Cairo they are waving shoes in the air.  How will the army and police handle this is very much in question. 

Mubarak could have stepped down and ended this and instead he resisted and has set Egypt ablaze.  Sad times in Egypt.

Is Mubarak Leaning Tonight?

If reports are to be believed, the Egyptian military has taken charge of the situation and told the crowds in Tahrir Square, "All your demands will be met today."

This comes as a welcome surprise if it is true.  If not it will only serve to inflame already burning passion among Egyptians who want Mubarak gone.   Huffington Post has more.

Worst Argument Against Gay Marriage Ever

Robert Broadus Testimony on SB 116 against gay marriage in the Maryland legislature is perhaps the worst I have ever seen. He goes from Android Marriage to claiming that the stars in the flag represent Jesus. This guy is a real head case. Enjoy!

Great Super Bowl Parody - Apologies to My Jock Friends

Tosh.0 is one of my guilty pleasures.  Daniel Tosh did this parody of the Super Bowl commercial that is a hoot.  (Disclaimer:  As a fan of Woman's Pro Basketball myself, I find this hillarious and many of my lesbian friends do as well, so back off those with overly sensitive political correctness.)

Tosh.0
Tags: Tosh.0 Videos,Daniel Tosh,Web Redemption

Odd Shoes? Way Beyond Odd!

OK, these are so far over the top even Lady Gaga might balk at them. Apparently, some designers are vying to see just how stupid some of their customers are. Call it fashion and people will buy ANYTHING, no really.

After all, who wouldn't look better with goat hooves, especially when they are painted gold! 

You can bet some fool paid LOTS of cash for these.
As an art piece, OK, but as apparel? Oh come now!

Even worse here.

Crazy War Against Sharia Law in Texas & Other States

Texas is joining the fray in the "battle" against Sharia Law. Seems a few state legislators are afraid that somehow the Islamic holy laws are going to seep into Texas courts, so they are working on a bill to prevent the state from "enforcing, considering or applying a religious or cultural law".

State Representative Leo Berman (R-Tyler) who is championing the bill needs to remember that just a few years ago Texas lawmakers wanted to have the ten commandments posted in every court room. Funny, I could swear that was a religious law?

Happy Birthday to the Father of Steampunk - Jules Verne

I recently went back and reread all the Jules Verne novels I loved as a child. Glad I did. Verne, who many call the "Father of Science Fiction" was more than a teller of tall tales. He based his stories on the available science at the time and then projected forward in the manner of a true futurist.

Verne was also quite clever in his skewering of society. He viewed Americans as born adventurers. He also had a less than kindly attitude toward the Germans, yet many of his protagonists are German. His works are far more involved than just fun stories for kids, they reflect the times he lived in and a deep insight into the character of humanity in general.

His 1963 unpublished novel "Paris in the 20th Century" was recently unearthed and published in 1992. It had been previously been considered lost. It's a good read and amazingly accurate in some predictions though much more bleak than his other works. Had the world developed as he envisioned it, we would all be living in a Steampunk universe.

Even Better Condom Commercial!

Unfortunately, this gem apparently never ran in Belgium where the condom company is located.

Great Condom Ad From Russia

From Joe My God.

Bush Cancels Swiss Trip - Fears Prosecution for Torture.

So our local glitterati, former President George W. Bush canceled plans for a trip to Switzerland.  Why?  Well seems a lot of folks there hold him accountable for illegal torture, unlike our country which seems to have conveniently forgotten he broke both US and international laws by authorizing water-boarding and more.  According to court documents, criminal complaints against Bush alleging torture have been lodged in Geneva.

Aw me so sad!

Al Jazeera Offices In Cairo Destroyed

According to a report from Al Jazeera, "Al Jazeera's offices in Cairo were attacked on Friday by 'gangs of thugs', according to a statement from the network. The office was burned, along with the equipment inside it."

This comes as the Egyptian government tries to crack down on news reporting.  American and European journalists have been beaten and assaulted over the past couple of days.  

Sarah Palin Branding Her Name

Sarah Palin and her brood have turned celebrity into a cottage industry.  Famous for far more than her 15 minutes, the failed VP candidate is filing to trademark her name and that of her daughter Bristol Palin.


Accoding to an article on Yahoo News:

Palin's paperwork was filed in November, shortly before the premiere of her TLC show, "Sarah Palin's Alaska." Bristol Palin's application was filed in September, a few days before she began her own reality TV stint on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." The applications are still pending, amid several queries by the Patent office.

As a side note, here series like her governorship has already been canceled.   She may be trying to protect her "brand" but if recent success , or lack of it is any indicator, it isn't in much danger.  Maybe the CHinese will start doing Palin knock-offs?

Mona Lisa is a Man - Leonardo's Gay Lover!

I can hear the fundamentalists ranting now!  Look for the Mona Lisa to be removed from art history textbooks in Texas soon.  Why? Well, Silvano Vicenti, head of the National Historic Commission of Italy says that the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic portrait is most likely of his gay lover. 

Long thought to be a portrait of a local merchant's wife, the face bears more than a little resemblance to two other works by the master.  Both were modeled by his lover Gian Giacomo Caprotti.  The painting of John the Baptist and a drawing called "Angel Incarnate" both look to have the same face as Mona Lisa.

As the animation I created shows, it's pretty intriguing.  So, let the ranting begin!

Rolling Power Outages and The Super Bowl

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, mandated rolling power outages to reduce demand during peak periods, at least that was the story.  These lovely folks gave no warning, they just started cutting power.

Now comes word that critical services did not get cut, hospitals and emergency services, and the stadium in Arlington.  Say what?  Yup, DART riders got stranded as power to critical signaling devices was cut, hotel guests were stuck in dark elevators and stairwells, disabled people were stuck in their homes in the dark, but Jerry Frigging Jones and his stadium had all the power they needed.  God forbid football gets delayed!

So what the hell does the Super Bowl have that that you and I don't?  Apparently cutting power would be a security risk. That is the lame story anyway.

So finally the Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst gave us the real answer.  Cold weather knocked out about 50 of the 550 power plants in Texas and there also was an increase in demand.

"Lack of adequate winterization and preparation appear to be a major cause of the outages," he said in a statement. "This is unusually cold weather for Texas, but we obviously need to ensure that we are adequately prepared. That's why we will continue to work with state agencies and energy providers to find out where problems occurred and how to prevent them in the future."

So it comes down the the magic Genni of deregulation.  Companies bent on squeezing every penny from their investments didn't have a plan in place for cold weather.  Lovely!  Instead of buying power from other grids, they just force their problem on the state's citizens.  Meanwhile practice in the stadium goes on as planned.

We can all sleep more soundly, albeit more chilly with the power out, that football will still be played on Sunday.  Thank God!

Snow Day

So I ended up trapped at home yesterday, though having my partner there and two warm cats made things agreeable. Today was a different story. Temperatures here in Dallas have dropped into the teens, and therefore, very little of the ice has melted on local streets. Highways seem pretty passable if you are careful, but getting to them is a task for the US Figure Skating Team.

I managed to get my partner to the light rail station, since his office is walking distance that seemed like a good idea. Problem is, DART (our light rail) was being affected by the rolling power outages that Oncore has started, so the trains were an hour late. Nice cold wait on the elevated platform for him.

Meanwhile, I went to my office only to find they had closed for the day. At least I can get some work done uninterrupted this way. I have a warm office, lots of coffee and a working computer (which won't work at home for some reason. So, tonight, I will put on my best Johnny Weir outfit and skate over to my partner's coffee and pick him up for the slide home.

Did I say I hate cold weather?

Video From Egypt - Mubarak Can't Stop This! WATCH

If you ever questioned the power of the internet, watch this video and you will have a new found respect for the powerful medium it has become. The message from Egypt is still getting out and it's so powerful it gets me emotional. Watch and let me know what you think.

Saturday Night Live Fails - Trans Skit Downright Offensive

Saturday Night Live took a big step backwards in their faux-commercial for Estro-Maxx.  I understand it's live TV and sometimes skits win and others lose, but at least one of the writers should have known that not only is the bit not funny, it's downright offensive to trans people. 

Here's my beef.  Using trans people or gay men or lesbians or whoever in a comedy skit isn't a problem.  The problem comes when the sexual minority becomes the joke.  Trans people are not a punch line, and I can think of a dozen ways that skit could have been less offensive, but mostly it shouldn't have happened at all.

It would be like doing a comedy sketch where the punch line was that the character was Jewish.  Though there are great jokes about Jewish people, they are not the laugh-line.  So to SNL I say, grow up and start writing something genuinely funny instead of falling back on a cheap laugh that is just plain offensive.

Here is the sketch for those who are interested.

Carol Channing at 90!

It seems that older women in show business lead long lives and have seemingly unending careers.  Betty White's resurgent career is proof of that.  Now Carol Channing does an interview on her 90th birthday on dot429.com.
She is still a vibrant supporter of arts and music in public schools and a well acknowledged gay icon.

Check it out.

Egypt Tries to Shut Down Social Media

After watching the crowds in the streets on CNN and hearing about the various government buildings on fire, I would say Egypt is in full revolt.  Not surprising since the president there has allegedly been re-elected over 30 years. Nonsense, it's a dictatorship posing as a democracy, and though there are more freedoms than in some totalitarian countries, Egypt is still not a democracy. 

Meanwhile, the government is trying to stifle the revolt by shutting down the country's ISPs.  They are afraid of the communication and advantages offered by social media.

From an interview on Computer World: "Twitter, Facebook, and the Internet have made civil disobedience more efficient," said industry analyst Rebecca Wettemann from Nucleus Research. "The government is reacting to a civil problem by cutting one channel of communications, and there are always other ways."

The beauty of the internet and the web is the ability of information to reroute and it makes things very difficult to control.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the country's main opposition party seems to be behind much of the protests.  What this means for the future of Egypt is still unclear.  As this uprising plays out, it will behoove the United States to avoid getting embroiled in it.  I personally think Egypt should be governed by Egyptians.  My hope is that it won't become another radical fundamentalist nation like others in the middle-east. For LGBT Egyptians life is not rosy, I could only assume that under a fundamentalist Muslim regeim things would get a lot worse. 

Holocaust Remembrance Day

"Arbeit Macht Frei" -- "Work Sets You Free"

These words marked the entrance to the notorious concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland.  The camp was liberated by Soviet troops on Jan. 27, 1945, and today the date is marked as Holocaust Remembrance Day.

For those who might not remember, the Nazi's arrested and eventually exterminated millions of prisoners.  Best estimates are as follows:

5.1–6.0 million Jews, including 3.0–3.5 million Polish Jews
1.8 –1.9 million Gentile Poles
200,000–800,000 Roma & Sinti
200,000–300,000 people with disabilities
10,000–25,000 homosexual men
2,000 Jehovah's Witnesses

Gay men were marked with a pink triangle, now a symbol of gay liberation.  

It's a good time to remember this horror and make sure it never happens again.

Taco Bell = Beef? Maybe Not?

I was reminded of a scandal that broke years ago ion my home town of Dallas, Texas when a local Mexical food buffet was accused of serving dog food in their enchiladas.  Though it's hardly dog food, the ingredients in a Taco Bell taco look more like breakfast cereal than beef, and that's the issue.

According to a class-action lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in the Central District of California, the chain is serving a product that hardly qualifies as beef.  Only 36% of the taco filling is beef by volume with the rest being everything from oats to yeast and other ingredients including soy lecithin, etc.  Following are the "other" ingredients that make up the alleged beef:

1. Water
2. Isolated oat product
3. Salt
4. Chili pepper
5. Onion powder
6. Tomato powder
7. Oats (wheat)
8. Soy lecithin
9. Sugar
10. Spices
11. Maltodextrin (a polysaccharide that is absorbed as glucose)
12. Soybean oil (anti-dusting agent)
13. Garlic powder
14. Autolyzed yeast extract
15. Citric acid, caramel color
16. Cocoa powder
17. Silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent)
18. Natural flavors
19. Yeast
20. Modified corn starch
21. Natural smoke flavor
22. Salt
23. Sodium phosphate
24. Less than 2% of beef broth
25. Potassium phosphate
26. Potassium lactate

Anderson Cooper Catches Michele Bachmann Lying About American History

Anderson Cooper explains the numerous lies told by Michele Bachmann in her rewriting of American History.

Will Doritos Air Gay Superbowl Ad?

That seems to be the question on many advertisers lips.  The TV spot which takes place in a sauna is rife with sexual innuendo and skin, but ultimately has a funny ending. For once the idea of the characters being gay is not used as a pejorative punchline.  Watch and you decide.  Personally I doubt if this will ever see network TV, but the buzz has already worked to Doritos advantage.

RIP Jack LaLanne

One of my earliest memories of Jack LeLanne was watching him in his form fitting gymnastic pants encouraging viewers to follow along for a stretching exercise.  He and his dog Happy were bopping along to an unseen organist who played along with his calisthenics.

LeLanne popularized exercise in the home and pioneered in the TV fitness genre long before Jane Fonda or anyone else.  Though his recommendations for health eating sometimes confused me, his enthusiasm was contagious.

I remember for his 70th birthday he was handcuffed and pulled a boatload of reporters from Alcatraz to San Francisco with his teeth. Though he got a lot of comedians ridiculing the act, it was pretty impressive.

LeLanne died at the age of 96 yesterday surrounded by his family watching a football game at his California home.

Justice Clarence Thomas Caught in Another Ethics Scandal

I have to wonder why this info came to light on a Friday.  The Friday "news dump" is in full swing as far as revelations of the financial impropriety of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.  By law Supreme Court Justices are required to give full disclosure of their spouse's income sources.  This is to prevent them from being unduly influenced by monitary considerations.

Well, Thomas has some explaining to do.  Between the years 2003 and 2007 his wife, Virginia Thomas earned $686,589 from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.  This income went unreported on his Supreme Court disclosure form and in fact Thomas lied by checking the "none" box on the form.

This clear violation of ethics comes on the heels of another ethical dilemma involving Thomas' fund raising activities with Charles Koch.  These problems show a clear conflict of interest especially when the court has just ruled on major corporate political fund raising issues.  The appearance and I would argue the "fact" is that Thomas and Scalia (also implicated in the Koch scandal) are in fact on the corporate payroll and should step down.  If not it would not be out of the question to impeach both justices.

HUD Proposes New Non-discrimination Rules Protecting LGBT Citizens

After a lackluster two years for LGBT folks, the Obama administration is finally delivering on some promises made during the campaign.  I applaud the passage of the DADT repeal and the provisions for LGBT partners in health care, and now comes this.  HUD, the Housing and Urban Development Secretary has proposed new rules that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in several of the federal agency's programs.  These include government backed mortgages and public housing.

No in case you are among those who figure this doesn't affect private sector housing, well think again.  Allow me to relate a story from my own experience regarding HUD. Quite a few years ago, I lived in a high-rise apartment on Turtle Creek, a pretty tony neighborhood to be sure here in Dallas.  My building was fr a time managed by HUD because the developers had defaulted on the financing and the government had backed the construction.

So for three years, I lived in high-rise splendor managed by HUD.  Luckily I never suffered any discrimination from the landlords, after all it was Turtle Creek and walking distance from the Gayborhood.  So, the point is HUD has some far reaching ties and this is a big deal towards anti-discrimination for LGBT Americans.

Keith Olbermann and MSNBC Split, Immediately!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Tevatron Will Shut Down This Year

The Tevatron, the Fermi National Laboratory accelerator will shut down in September of this year due to lack of funds.  The accelerator located in Batavia, Ill. was funded by the Us Department of Energy and was racing to gather details of the elusive Higgs boson, the origin of mass in physics.  Now that task falls to the Large Hadron Collider in at CERN. 

Once again the US had dumped a valuable scientfic project because of budgets and politics.  First was the Super Colloder in Texas, a project characterized as "pork" by opponents of basic scientific research, and now the Tevatron.  As these landmark projects move to Europe and perhaps elsewhere, the US continues to lose its lead in scientific research.

Basic research, like the space program and partical physics have paid off in long range rewards in the past, it is a pity that short sighted politicians and the public can't see the benefits. So next time you glance at your digital watch or use your GPS or communicate on the internet, thank basic research.  Then go out and start learning Chinese so you can keep up with the rest of the world as we let our country fall behind.

More Guns = More Gun Deaths, Duh!

I recently wandered through the Violence Policy Center's web site and it is an eye opener when it comes to gun-related violence.  I support the Second Amendment but I also feel there are way too many guns floating around our country.  I have been a gun owner in the past, so if any NRA folks read this and flame me, get over it!

I am a strong advocate of gun control.  Here's why:

In states where gun ownership is lowest, gun deaths are lowest.  Pretty easy equation and yet too many folks just can't make this connection, so here is a simple chart to give you the idea in sound figures.

States with the Five Highest Gun Death Rates				States with the Five Lowest Gun Death Rates
Rank	State	Household Gun Ownership	Gun Death Rate per 100,000	Rank	State	Household Gun Ownership	Gun Death Rate per 100,000
1	Louisiana	45.6 percent	19.87	50	Hawaii	9.7 percent	2.82
2	Mississippi	54.3 percent	18.32	49	Rhode Island	13.3 percent	3.51
3	Alaska	60.6 percent	17.62	48	Massachusetts	12.8 percent	3.63
4	Alabama	57.2 percent	17.55	47	Connecticut	16.2 percent	4.27
5	Nevada	31.5 percent	16.21	46	New York	18.1 percent	5.07

Note from the VPC: The VPC defined states with "weak" gun laws as those that add little or nothing to federal restrictions and have permissive laws governing the open or concealed carrying of firearms in public. States with "strong" gun laws were defined as those that add significant state regulation in addition to federal law, such as restricting access to particularly hazardous types of firearms (for example, assault weapons), setting minimum safety standards for firearms and/or requiring a permit to purchase a firearm, and restrictive laws governing the open and concealed carrying of firearms in public. State gun ownership rates were obtained from the September 2005 Pediatrics article “Prevalence of Household Firearms and Firearm-Storage Practices in the 50 States and the District of Columbia: Findings From the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002,” which is the most up-to-date, comprehensive source for state gun ownership rates.

So now, let's see...less guns means less death, sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Toowoomba Flood Video - Amazing Footage

For those who aren't aware of the devastation floods in Australia, take a look at this footage of a small creek turning into a roaring rapids in just a few minutes, washing away dozens of cars. We often forget that tragic events lie this happen in developed nations as well as third-world countries.

The videographer posted this link for donations for Queensland relief efforts.
Queensland Government Appeal at: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Come on folks it's "Queensland" for Pete's sake, donate!

"Creeping Threat of Sharia Law" - Louie Gohmert

Rep Louie Gohmert - Sharia Hunter!

So in another case of political theater, much like the bogus repeal of health care reform, we have Louie Gohmert, a Texas Representative, a Republican and a certifiable idiot.  Not to be outdone by Oklahoma, Gohmert wants hearing in the House on the "creeping threat of Sharia law".  In November, Oklahoma became the first state to ban the threat of Sharia law, though no cases exist where it has been used as precedence and it has no legal standing in the US or any state.

Gohmert is using the new found strength of the GOP in the House to waste taxpayer money and valuable legislative time by holding hearings on non-existent threats.  Way to go Louie!

Next he will want to have hearings on the insidious pollution of our precious bodily fluids.  Life is imitating art.

Jon Stewart Reads Palin's Beads

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Anderson Cooper Puts Dr. Laura on "Ridiculist"

Dr. Laura now blames CNN for the problems she had using the "n" word.  Ah, another public figure claiming to be a victim of their own fame.  Oy!

Vatican Letter Called "Smoking Gun" in Pedophile Priest Scandals

A letter from the Vatican in 1997 997 cautioned Ireland's Catholic bishops not to report all suspected child-abuse cases to police.  Victims groups are already calling it "the smoking gun" in the connection between the Church in Rome and the abuse scandal.

According to a report in Huffington Post the letter documents the Vatican's rejection of a 1996 Irish church initiative to begin helping police identify pedophile priests. The document could have very far reaching implications.

"The letter is of huge international significance, because it shows that the Vatican's intention is to prevent reporting of abuse to criminal authorities. And if that instruction applied here, it applied everywhere," said Colm O'Gorman, director of the Irish chapter of human rights watchdog Amnesty International.

 Joelle Casteix, a director of U.S. advocacy group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, described the letter as "the smoking gun we've been looking for."

More here.

New Hospital Visitation Rules Go Into Effect For LGBT Patients!

Today, the new rules prohibiting hospitals from discriminating against visitors based on sexual orientation and gender identity went into effect.  Though a quiet change, it represents a big deal to LGBT families who have previously been discriminated against in these settings.

Last year President Obama issued the directive including this statement, “Every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides — whether in a sudden medical emergency or a prolonged hospital stay,” to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department in April.

It's a big deal and should not be overlooked as a major promise fulfilled by the administration.

Tea Party Jumps In With Big Earmarks Of Their Own

After squawking about "earmarks" the Tea Party folks jumped into the Washington Pork Barrel with both feet.  Tea Party Caucus members requested more than $1 billion in earmarks in the 2010 fiscal year.  Though head Tea Bagger, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn did not request any earmarks, her colleagues in the caucus managed to squeeze in 764 earmarks valued at $1,049,783,150.

So next time you hear someone complain about "earmarks", show them it's not a Democratic exclusive, the Republican Party has long been steeped in the same kinds of earmarks as the Dems.  Now that's some kettle of tea!

Miss Arkansas and Her Dummies

The annual Miss America pageant has fallen from grace because of slipping ratings and a general unease with the whole event. No matter what you say, you just can't beat the talent competition. The new Miss Arkansas for 2011 is a ventriloquist and how can you beat that for a classic weird variety act?

NOTE:  I erroneously reported that she had won Miss America, Miss Nebraska won the title.

Apologies to Jay Johnson.

It's Martin Luther King Day

Though my office is still working today, I always take a moment to reflect on the Martin Luther King legacy. 

One of my favorite documents of this period in our history is the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".  Particularly resonating is this passage:

"But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice: "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist: "Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God." And John Bunyan: "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience." And Abraham Lincoln: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." And Thomas Jefferson: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal . . ." So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists."

 The entire text of the letter is here.

Fallwell's University Pushes "Gay Cure" Classes on iTunes

The "good" folks at Liberty University's iTunesU have posted "Healthy Sexuality, Homosexuality: the healing journey of personal redemption."  Once again the far-right is trying to wrap a "gay cure" in the guise of science.  It's not happening.

The alleged science in this case is the same debunked junk that has been used over and over by the fundamentalists.  Now it's in a slick video format you can download and watch on your iPod.  The ghost of Jerry Falwell lives on.  Thanks to "Good as You" for the find!

Reince Priebus Now The Face of The GOP - And He's White!

It comes as no surprise to me that the GOPs experiment with inclusion has ended a factious chairmanship of Michael Steele.  Steele's election during the year Barack Obama was running for President seemed to me an obvious attempt at tokenism and apparently most of the GOP power-brokers agreed.

Steele's term was marred with controversy from the start and his interview in GQ only added fule to the flames.  Steele offered the statement that abortion is "absolutely... an individual choice".  That won him the ire of the far right and often during his tenure he made news because of his gaffes and off message positions.

Now the Republican National Committee has elected Reince Priebus as party chair to lead the debt-ridden party organization through the 2012 election cycle.  Aside from an unpronounceable name, Priebus is much more what I would expect from the GOP.  White, conservative and an attorney.  It should be interesting to see if he can dig the GOP out of the red.